In a blink of an eye, Duke has been promoted to Level 1 Arcane Mage for a month.
After he became affiliated with Shenjiao City Hotel and Youshi Clothing Company, he turned down most of the banquet invitations and kept a low profile.
During this month, I have basically been busy with trivial matters.
Decorate your home at No. 17 Beverly Manor, recruit your own team members, and organize an exclusive meditation method that suits you.
"Sir, Captain Zina is here." The newly recruited housekeeper Morris said softly.
Morris is over fifty years old and is a 0-ring spirit plant envoy. He worked on a farm when he was young, but he preferred to live in the city, so he chose to be a housekeeper for a wealthy businessman.
But a while ago, a wealthy businessman went bankrupt.
Morris lost his job as a result, and his reputation was also affected by the bankruptcy of his owner, so no one was willing to hire him as a housekeeper.
Duke didn't mind this. If a wealthy businessman had problems with his own business, he couldn't blame it on a conscientious butler.
Therefore, after the interview, Morris successfully became Duke's housekeeper.
Even after learning that Maurice and his wife Milena had no children, but still had a good relationship, Duke simply hired Milena as well and arranged for him to be the housekeeper.
Through Morris’s many years as a housekeeper and the connections he had made, many more people were recruited one after another.
One gardener, 0-ring spiritual plant envoy Groel; two followers, 0-ring knights Andrew and Victor; two female nannies, Sivir and Samantha; two male chores, Bruce and Will. Basically the composition is
The entire service team.
Including the former assistant Murali, the cook Aunt Virginie, the driver Royce, and Levin, who was arranged by Duke as the groom, there are thirteen people in total.
Among them, Levin's job as a groom is to feed dogs, raise horses, send and receive owl mail, and look after Xiaodou.
When you stay in a large villa, you must book the Postman Owl service.
Duke also studies Blood Sea. As a knight, training to ride a war horse is a compulsory course. You must raise a spiritual beast horse or other types of rideable spiritual beasts.
"Imperial Dragoon Lance" must be used in conjunction with riding a spiritual beast.
When he was not at home, Xiao Dou had to be fed. In short, these very easy chores were left to Levin.
At this time, hearing the reminder from Butler Morris, Duke immediately ordered: "Invite Captain Zina to the study on the third floor."
Butler Morris leaned forward and left to invite Xina, the visiting leader of the Broken Sword mercenary group.
Duke sat on a chair and thought silently: "The service team still needs a driver. The car can't run on the route. Sooner or later I will have to buy a Black Beetle... In addition, escort personnel must also be recruited. As an arcane mage, I can't go out without a driver."
With a few big knights, it looks shabby."
In fact, with his current status, he can recruit as many great knights as he can in knight monasteries everywhere.
But it’s hard to say about character.
For important bodyguards, he is recruiting on the basis of the principle of "preferring nothing to nothing", and is preparing to slowly select the first-level knights with clean family backgrounds, good conduct, and most importantly, loyalty.
If you can’t recruit one, just don’t do it.
Holding a ring of sand eagle, he is not afraid of running around in the forest, and he doesn't really care whether there is a big knight to protect him.
Soon.
Captain Zina followed Butler Morris up to the study on the third floor.
"Welcome, Commander Zina." Duke sat on the chair without getting up. He just smiled and raised his hand, motioning for Zina to please sit down.
"Lord Duke." Zina put her right hand on her chest and gave Duke the knightly salute before taking her seat.
"I have been so busy in Shenjiao City recently that I have no choice but to ask you, Captain Zina, to come to Shenjiao City in person."
"Sir, you're welcome. It's an honor for Zina to be able to visit Master Arcana." Compared with the free and easy way the two of them interacted before, now that she saw Duke, Zina had completely lost her free and easy attitude.
Very reserved.
This can't help but make Duke feel again how noble the identity of the Arcane Mage is.
"When you and I have only known each other for a long time, don't be so nervous. Just treat it as a chat between ordinary friends." Duke said softly.
Zina forced a smile: "Yes."
Although she said so, looking at her expression, you can tell that she is not relaxed.
Seeing this, Duke had no choice but to give up the politeness between friends and go straight to the point: "I asked someone to bring you a message before, and I planned to sponsor Broken Sword. How are you thinking about it?"
"Sir, I wonder how you can sponsor Broken Sword?" Zina asked, "In our mercenary world, there are roughly three types of sponsors."
"Which three?"
"The first is the commission system, which was also the form before our Broken Sword. The funder entrusts us with some tasks and sponsors a fee according to the difficulty of the task; the second is the cooperation system, where the funder provides us with start-up capital and earns
After the resources are obtained, they will be handed over to the funder for processing, and then everyone will share them."
"What about the third kind?"
"The third type is the subordination system. The mercenary group is subordinate to the sponsor. We take the sponsor's money and do the sponsor's affairs. We will do whatever the sponsor says."
Dukezhuo asked with interest: "Which method do you prefer to break swords?"
"We can all accept it. In fact, we can't help but choose." Zina shook her head and said, "Speaking of which, the subordination system is definitely more popular among mercenaries. The risk of adventuring in the forest is too great. Everyone hopes to have a stable income.
."
Every time the mercenary group goes out to explore, they don't always get resources, and it's common for them to lose money and pay back their money.
Moreover, the casualty rate has remained high.
Duke nodded: "Then choose the subordination system. I will fund the Broken Sword and you will serve me exclusively from now on."
The Broken Sword Mercenary Group has a total of five 1st level knights, 76 0th level knights, and 30 ordinary support staff.
"Sir, are you sure? The scale of Broken Sword is not small. After the subordination sponsorship, you will be responsible for Broken Sword's salary for one year, which will cost 800 gold dragons. In addition to the purchase of spirit cards, weapons and equipment, and treatment costs
Wait, we can’t raise 1,200 gold dragons in a year.”
A 1st level great knight should have at least 2 gold dragons as a monthly salary;
A 0-level knight’s monthly salary ranges from 50 Silver Dragons to 80 Silver Dragons;
A logistics staff member must have a monthly salary of 25 silver dragons.
The annual salary expenditure of all the Broken Sword owners indeed exceeds 800 gold dragons.
"1,200 gold dragons is indeed a lot, but if the mercenary group goes out on adventures, the benefits are not small, right?" Duke said calmly.
The consulting fee he received from the Shenjiao City Hotel each year was 1,500 gold dragons, which was more than enough to sponsor a mercenary group.
Zina nodded and replied: "In a good year, you can earn 2,000 gold dragons a year. In a bad year, I'm afraid you won't even get 200 gold dragons."
"Then it's decided. Broken Sword belongs to me. From now on, you will serve me and I will pay your salary." Duke made the decision without hesitation.
When he was in Sheshou Town, he secretly observed many mercenary groups.
Among them, the scale of Broken Sword is not small, and although the staff is mixed with good and bad, there are not many bad deeds, and their behavior is quite orderly.
The most important thing is that Captain Xina is smart, but she is a female mercenary, and she is not a 1st level knight, but a pseudo 1st level card warrior.
It can be said that the foundation is not solid.
Once Duke becomes a sponsor, he can immediately secure Zina's position as leader. If Zina wants to master the Broken Sword, she has to rely on Duke, otherwise Duke can support others to take over at any time.
This kind of cooperation is what Duke wants, rather than sponsoring a mercenary group that may play tricks behind his back at any time.